Jake Gyllenhaal Offered Prince of Persia?

Coming on the heels of pretty solid news that Orlando Bloom will, in fact, NOT be the lead in Jerry Bruckheimer’s upcoming “Prince of Persia” mega movie and franchise starter, comes this rumor from Latino Review that they heard the offer has gone out to Jake Gyllenhaal (pictured, below) to play Dastan (pictured, left), the lead in “Prince”. But, LR cautions, news is that Gyllenhaal is currently gimpy from a basketball injury, so how will that affect his role as the parkour-leapin’ Prince of Persia?

…Jake has been sporting crutches lately in public because he hurt his ankle playing basketball. Now I don’t know the severity of his injury and it doesn’t seem that bad since the he just got back from vacationing in Mexico with girlfriend Reese Witherspoon.

The complication is that I don’t know how much more time Jake is going to need to heal because if you read my script review “HERE”, the role is very physical. Lots of Parkour involved and I don’t know if Disney feels like waiting for Jake to heal his ankle. Then again, they might get Jake one hell of a stunt double so let’s see.

Like his sister Maggie, I really don’t see what all the big fuss is about the Gyllenhaals. He’s a good actor for dramas and indie thrillers, but the lead in a potential mainstream action movie franchise? Jerry Bruckheimer is a smart businessman, and I can’t see him doing something like this. Seriously? Jake Gyllenhaal as an action hero who will have to commit to a franchise? I just don’t see it.

But then again, if you were to ask me a few years ago if Johnny Depp would make a good lead for a mainstream action movie franchise, I’d tell you No, too, so what do I know.